Breakaway electrical connector

Abstract

A shielded breakaway connector assembly has mating polarized conductive shells and mating respective dielectric inserts mounted therein having mating terminals therein. A plug insert is mounted in its shell permitting limited axially normal movement in a selected direction against spring bias so that during mating said plug insert is cammed in that direction by a cam member secured to the receptacle insert's shell to achieve a tentative mating condition wherein the respective contact sections engage and electrically connect. Full mating is achieved when the plug insert is further pushed against the receptacle insert in order for a latch surface of the plug to latch behind a cooperating latch on the cam member which latches are adapted to be delatchable solely when limited tensile force pulls the plug insert away from the receptacle insert's shell to overcome the axially normal spring bias on the plug insert and the resistance to delatching of the latches. The mating contact sections engage under substantial contact normal force by contact arms of the receptacle's terminals being laterally deflected by the plug's terminals when the plug insert is cammed laterally.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electrical connector assembly of a first connector and a second connector and instantaneously unmatable under limited axial unmating force, comprising: first dielectric insert means having a receptacle section forwardly thereof and including a plurality of terminal-receiving passageways extending rearwardly from a first mating face, said passageways each having secured therein a first terminal terminated to a respective conductor, each said first terminal having a first contact section proximate said first mating face;   first shell means associated with said first insert means and including first means for mounting said first insert means therein adapted to permit limited axially rearward movement of said first insert means against first spring means;   second dielectric insert means having a plug section forwardly thereof and including a plurality of terminal-receiving passageways extending rearwardly from a second mating face, said passageways each having secured therein a second terminal terminated to a respective conductor, each said second terminal having a second contact section proximate said second mating face;   second shell means associated with said second insert means and including second means for mounting said second insert means therein adapted to permit limited movement of said second insert means against second spring means in a selected axially normal direction;   a forward section of said first shell means being adapted as a hood to receive thereinto a forward section of said second shell means, said first and second shell means having cooperating means for polarized mating;   said receptacle section of said first insert means being adapted to receive thereinto said plug section of said second insert means, said second contact sections being disposed within respective said passageways of said second insert means;   said first contact sections extending forwardly from said first mating face within said receptacle section of said first insert means and aligned with said passageways of said second insert means during mating to be received thereinto, and said first contact sections being adapted to be urgeable in said selected axially normal direction away from a selected receptacle side by said second contact sectios of said second insert means;   said first shell means having camming means secured thereto and associated with said selected side of said receptacle section of said first insert means, said camming means engageable by said second insert means upon polarized entry thereof into said receptacle section under axial force during mating to urge said second insert means in said selected axially normal direction against said second spring means to a tentative mating relationship with said first insert means and establishing assured contact normal force between said first and said second contact sections at least upon full mating;   a forward end of said plug section of said second insert means including latching means extending toward said camming means and latchable with a cooperating latching means of said camming means upon said second insert means engaging and urging rearwardly said first insert means after achieving said tentative mating relationship, said second insert means held in a latched position by said second spring means and thereby being latched in a fully mated relationship with said first insert means; and   said latching means and said cooperating latching means being adapted such that said second insert means is delatchable from said first insert means and said first shell means upon application of a selected minimum axial tensile force applied to at least said first shell means and said second insert means to overcome the spring force applied by said second spring means and the resistance to delatching applied by said cooperating latching means, whereby said first and said second connectors are unmatable solely by said application of said selected minimum axial tensile force.   
     
     
       2. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said receptacle section of said first insert means has channels along opposing inside surfaces of sidewalls normal to said selected receptacle side, said channels having axial portions beginning at a forward edge thereof and extending to portions extending normally to said axial portions away from said selected receptacle side, and said plug section of said second insert means having bosses extending laterally outwardly from the forward end thereof corresponding to said axial portions of said first insert means and receivable thereinto and therealong during mating, said bosses being latchable within said normal channel portions when said second insert means is urged in said selected direction against said second spring means by said camming means, achieving said tentative mating relationship with said first insert means. 
     
     
       3. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first mounting means includes means for retaining said first insert means in an axially aligned orientation during mating. 
     
     
       4. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first insert means is spring loaded axially forward against first stop means of said first shell means when unmated. 
     
     
       5. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second insert means is spring loaded in a direction opposed to said selected axially normal direction against second stop means of said second shell means when unmated. 
     
     
       6. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first contact sections comprise cantilever spring arms extending from respective said passageways of said first insert means proximate sides thereof nearest said selected receptacle side, and said second contact sections comprise arms tapered slightly toward a direction opposite from said selected axially normal direction and against sides of respective said passageways of said second insert means providing lead-ins for said first contact sections. 
     
     
       7. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second shell means are electrically conductive and a plurality of spring fingers are secured to the forward end of said first shell means and peripherally therearound extending rearwardly within said hood to engage under spring bias said forward end of said second shell means upon entry thereof into said first shell means during mating and establishing a plurality of shielding grounding locations with and substantially completely around said second shell means, providing EMI shielding. 
     
     
       8. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second shell means is secured to a panel by a lanyard. 
     
     
       9. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second shell means includes mounting flange means to enable mounting to a panel. 
     
     
       10. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein one of said first and second shell means includes switch means mounted to an outside surface thereof to be accessible for manual actuation, said switch means being electrically connected to at least one electrical conductor means within said one of said first and second shell means. 
     
     
       11. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said camming means of said first shell means extends forwardly through a slot of and into said receptacle section of said first insert means and along the inside surface of a sidewall of said selected side thereof, and includes a camming surface facing forwardly and toward said selected axially normal direction. 
     
     
       12. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein said forward end of said plug section of said second insert means includes bearing means having cooperating bearing surface means engageable with said camming surface of said camming means and faces forwardly and outwardly from said forward end of said plug section. 
     
     
       13. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said latching means is disposed rearwardly of said cooperating bearing surface means of said second insert means, and includes a substantially rearwardly facing latching surface means, and said cooperating latching means is disposed at the rearwardmost extent of said camming surface of said camming means and includes a substantially rearwardly facing surface, at least one of said latching surface and cooperating latching surface means having a selected small axially normal dimension and having a surface portion facing slightly in said selected axially normal direction. 
     
     
       14. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first shell means and said second shell means each further include respective strain relief means for respective cable means of said respective conductors. 
     
     
       15. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 14, wherein said respective cable means are shielded and said respective strain relief means each include means for electrically connecting shielding means of said respective cable means respectively to said first shell means and said second shell means. 
     
     
       16. An electrical connector assembly of a first connector and a second connector and instantaneously delatchable under limited axial tensile force, comprising: first dielectric insert means having a receptacle section forwardly thereof and including a plurality of terminal receiving passageways extending rearwardly from a first mating face, said passageways each having secured therein a first terminal terminated to a respective conductor, each said first terminal having a first contact section proximate said first mating face;   first shell means associated with said first insert means and including first means for mounting said first insert means therein;   second dielectric insert means having a plug section forwardly thereof and including a plurality of terminal receiving passageways extending rearwardly from a second mating face, said passageways each having secured therein a second terminal terminated to a respective conductor, each said second terminal having a second contact section proximate said second mating face;   second shell means associated with said second insert means and including second means for mounting said second insert means therein;   a forward section of said first shell means being adapted as a hood to receive thereinto a forward section of said second shell means, said first and second shell means having cooperating means for polarized mating, said receptacle section of said first insert means being adapted to receive thereinto said plug section of said second insert means, and said first and second contact sections being adapted to electrically engage each other during mating;   one of said first and said second shell means having camming means secured thereto and associated with a selected side of a corresponding one of said first and said second insert means, said camming means engageable by bearing means of the other of said first and said second insert means at least after achievement of a tentative mating relationship between said first and said second insert means to move at least said other of said first and said second insert means in a selected axially normal direction with respect to said one of said first and second shell means and against normal spring means;   said other of said first and said second insert means including latching means extending toward said camming means and latchable with a cooperating latching means of said camming means upon said other of said first and said second insert means engaging and urging rearwardly said one of said first and said second insert means against axial spring means after achieving said tentative mating relationship, said other of said first and said second insert means held in a latched position by said normal spring means and thereby being latched in a fully mated relationship with said one of said first and said second insert means; and   said latching means and said cooperating latching means having respective latching surface means adapted to allow relative movement therealong in an unmating direction such that said other of said first and said second insert means is delatchable from said one of said first and said second insert means and said one of said first and said second shell means upon application of a selected axial tensile force applied to at least said one of said first and said second shell means and said other of said first and said second insert means to overcome the spring force applied by said normal spring means and the resistance to delatching applied by said cooperating latching means, whereby said first and said second connectors are unmatable solely by said application of said selected axial tensile force.   
     
     
       17. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said axial spring means is secured in said first shell means to bias said first insert means against axial rearward movement, said first shell is adapted to permit axial rearward movement of said first insert means therein, said normal spring means is secured in said second shell means to bias said second insert means against movement in said selected axially normal direction, said second shell means is adapted to permit movement of said second insert means therein, said camming means is secured to said first shell means along a selected side of said hood means of said first shell means, said bearing means is disposed at a forward end of said plug sectio of said second insert means, said second insert means is urged in said selected direction by engagement of said bearing means with said camming means to a said tentative mating relationship, said second insert means engages and urges rearwardly said first insert means, and said latching means is disposed on said second insert means and latches behind said cooperating latching means on said camming means latching said first and second insert means in said fully mated relationship, and said second insert means is delatchable from said first shell means solely by application of said selected axial tensile force thereto. 
     
     
       18. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said cooperating latching means comprises a very short surface facing rearwardly at an angle of between about 50° to about 87° from axial. 
     
     
       19. An electrical connector assembly of a plug connector and a receptacle connector each having a plurality of matable contact terminal means terminated to respective electrical conductor means and each including a dielectric housing and an outer shell, wherein (A) said receptacle connector comprises:   dielectric receptacle housing means having a first mating face and a plurality of terminal receiving passageways therethrough and further having receptacle section means extending forwardly from the periphery of said first mating face defining a plug receiving cavity;   a like pluraity of first contact terminal means terminated to respective first conductor means and secured in respective said terminal receiving passageways of said receptacle housing means, each said first contact terminal means including a cantilever spring arm forward portion extending forwardly of said first mating face within said receptacle section means and adapted to be deflected in a common selected axially normal direction, a respective contact portion of each said first contact terminal means being disposed on a surface of said forward portion forwardly of said first mating face and facing the opposite direction from said selected direction; and   first shell means having said receptacle housing means secured therewithin by first securing means and having strain relief means for said first conductor means; and   (B) said plug connector comprises:   dielectric plug housing means having a second mating face along a forward surface of a plug section and having a plurality of terminal receiving passageways therethrough;   a like plurality of second contact terminal means terminated to respective second conductor means and secured in respective said terminal receiving passageways of said plug housing, said second contact terminal means having contact portions proximate said second mating face and disposed along a common selected side of respective said terminal receiving passageways and substantially therewithin; and   second shells means having said plug housing means secured therewithin by second securing means and having strain relief means for said second conductor means;   (C) wherein:   said first and second shell means include cooperating polarizing means for polarized axial mating prior to said receptacle and plug housing means beginning to engage for mating;   said receptacle section means is adapted to receive said plug section thereinto in an aligned orientation such that said forward portions of said first contact terminal means freely enter corresponding said terminal receiving passageways of said plug section to be disposed along said contact portions of said second contact terminal means, and said receptacle section means is further adapted to permit limited relative movement of said plug section therewithin in said selected direction;   at least one of said plug connector and said receptacle connector includes spring means biasing a respective at least one of said plug housing means and said receptacle housing means against movement in said selected axially normal direction or the opposite direction respectively, and a respective at least one of said first and second securing means are adapted to permit limited movement of said at least one of said plug housing means and said receptacle housing means in said selected or said opposite direction respectively;   cooperating passive camming means and bearing means are disposed on a respective one and another of said plug and said receptacle connector at respective locations thereon selected such that said camming and bearing means engage each other during mating when said first and second mating faces are substantially adjacent each other, and said camming and bearing means are adapted to urge said at least one of said plug housing means and said receptacle housing means in said selected or said opposite direction respectively, with said plug housing means relatively moving in said selected direction with respect to said receptacle housing means; and   cooperating latching means are disposed on said plug and receptacle connectors and are adapted to latch when said plug housing means and said receptacle housing means are fully mated,   whereby when said first and second mating faces are substantially adjacent each other during mating, said forward portions of said first contact terminal means have entered corresponding said terminal receiving passageways of said plug housing means adjacent said contact portions of respective said second contact terminal means, and said cooperating camming and bearing means engage and cooperate to urge said at least one of said plug housing means and said receptacle housing means in said selected or said opposite direction respectively against spring bias and biasing said forward first terminal portions relatively against said second terminal contact portions into electrical engagement therewith whereupon said first and second connectors latch together in fully mated engagement.   
     
     
       20. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said at least one of said plug connector and said receptacle connector is said plug connector, and said receptacle housing means is secured against movement in said opposite direction. 
     
     
       21. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein channel means extend axially rearwardly from a forward end to a rearward end of one of said plug section and said receptacle section means along opposing side surfaces thereof and include portions extending axially normally proximate the respective said rearward end thereof, and cooperating projection means are disposed on the other of said plug section and said receptacle section means adjacent a forward end thereof and are aligned with respective said channel means prior to engagement of said plug housing means and said receptacle housing means, said projection means being adapted to enter said normal channel portions when said first and second mating faces are substantially adjacent each other prior to engagement of said cooperating camming means, and said projection means enter said normal channel portions upon said relative axially normal movement of said receptacle housing means and said plug housing means. 
     
     
       22. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 21 wherein said channel means are disposed along opposing inside side surfaces of said receptacle section means and said cooperating projection means are disposed along opposing outside side surfaces of said plug section. 
     
     
       23. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said passive camming means comprises a tapered bearing surface selectively disposed to relatively urge said plug housing means in said selected direction. 
     
     
       24. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 23 wherein said receptacle connector includes said tapered bearing surface facing forwardly and towards said selected direction within said plug receiving cavity along a wall opposed from said selected direction, and said plug housing means includes said bearing means at a forward end of said plug section thereof along an outer surface opposed from said selected direction and engageable with said tapered bearing surface. 
     
     
       25. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 23 wherein said tapered bearing surface is disposed at an angle of between 25° and 55° from axial.